Both accidental injuries and medical procedures can involve wounds that produce liquid drainage during a healing process. A non-limiting example of an injury exhibiting such wounds is that of a burn victim whose burned skin area discharges a liquid. Likewise, a non-limiting example of a medical procedure that causes liquid discharge is found in patient recovery from tumescent liposuction procedures involving infusion of relatively large quantities of liquid which then must exit tissue sites. In such liposuction procedures, an elastic garment may be worn over an absorbent medium, but non-uniform distribution of absorbed liquid drainage in such cases can cause bruising of skin tissue.
As is apparent to both the trained medical professional and the general population, it is important to remove drainage liquid in order to promote proper and expedited healing. One manner of accomplishing such removal is to constantly change wound dressings several times a day or even several times an hour. While such an approach may aid in healing, it is obvious that patient mobility must be minimal while patient care requirements are very high. Another approach is to cover wound sites with sterile gauze or similar materials that absorb liquid drainage but do not draw the drainage away from the interfacing location of gauze and wound. Resultantly, the wound site is maintained in a damp condition by the very drainage liquid that the bandage is intended to remove. In liposuction procedures, an elastic garment may be worn over an absorbent prior-art wound dressing, but non-uniform distribution of absorbed liquid drainage within the dressing can cause bruising of skin tissue.
In view of the importance of proper liquid removal from a wound site, it is apparent that a need is present for an absorption medium that effectively and healthfully absorbs and retains liquid drainage. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a compression sponge for collecting wound site liquid and drawing such liquid away from the wound site interface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a compression sponge for wound care having at least one generally uniform layer operable as a wick to absorb, generally uniformly distribute there through, and retain liquid.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a compression sponge for wound care having a smooth, uniform surface for compression of skin and operating in cooperation with a uniform pressure distribution throughout the pad in order to minimize bruising of skin that overlies compartments of fat treated by tumescent liposuction.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a compression sponge for wound care capable of leak-proof retention of liquid.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.